The present invention broadly relates to weaving machines and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved construction of a weft thread storage device for a weaving machine.
Generally speaking, the weft thread storage device of the present invention comprises a winding reel having a weft thread withdrawal face, radially adjustable peripheral thread support rods provided on the winding reel, and a balloon-breaker housing for checking ballooning of the weft thread to be withdrawn from the winding reel and inserted into a weaving shed of the weaving machine.
In a hitherto known weft thread storage device of this type, known for instance from the German Patent Publication No. 2,920,629, published Mar. 1, 1980 and the cognate U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,080, granted Dec. 9, 1980, a winding reel during operation is stationarily arranged, and more or less eccentrically adjustable in relation to a stationary weft thread storage device axis according to the particular radial position which the adjustable circumferential elements assume. If the weft thread storage device is employed in association with a balloon-breaker housing on the weft thread withdrawal side, as is disclosed in the German Pat. No. 2,028,543, published Nov. 25, 1971 and the cognate U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,031, granted Sept. 25, 1973 (cf. reference numeral 101), and as is usually the case, unequally great centrifugal forces can arise in the thread balloon of the withdrawn weft thread, since the balloon-breaker is arranged concentric to the axis of the weft thread storage device. The weft thread is then constantly beaten or whipped against the balloon-breaker housing with varying intensity. According to the type of weft thread, these non-uniform centrifugal forces can have a detrimental effect upon the thread. In particular, individual fibrils, for instance, of a glass fiber weft thread can fracture, which can lead to weaving flaws.